Solterra - Lakewood Beauty - Staged and under contract in a week after being on the market MONTHs unsold!

This property was on the market for many months unsold. With some unique interior features and no visual appeal, buyers just were not excited about this house. Seller switched listing agents to one that was very proactive with marketing and went the extra mile for his client to ensure the sale - and encouraged the seller to Stage the property. End result was the house going under contract a week after listing! Staging is a key marketing tool that helps houses sell in the quickest time and for the best price based on market conditions.

Golden Townhouse - Staged and Show Ready - Sensational Home Staging

This townhouse has been on the market too long - vacant. The Realtor finally got the seller to agree to Staging and the end result is a property that presents much better than before for buyers. Now they can see the size of the rooms, how to place furniture, and the overall impact of the property is much better with color and visual appeal added.

High-End Home Staging - Greenwood Village Colorado - Sensational Home Staging

This custom property needed color and visual appeal for buyers online and in person. We used pops of orange to offset the neutral grays and creams - and the end result is a sophisticated Staging that appeals to the target buyer.

Sensational Home Staging - adding visual appeal for buyers by Staging key areas of this property

The Staging Yenta - Making Matches for Buyers

The Staging Yenta

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP-Premier, SRS, REO

Owner, Sensational Home Staging

“Matchmaker Matchmaker, Make me a match. Find me a find. Catch me a catch. Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Look through your books, and make me a perfect match.”

Those well known lyrics from Fiddler on the Roof resonate in my head as I think about what we do in real estate and Staging. Take out the cultural-religious aspect of the word and look at it from the perspective of a role we play. . . We are Yentas. Matchmakers. We both do our jobs hoping to make a love match. And when we do our jobs right – it’s a beautiful thing!

When I went to Poland years ago with my family we traveled to many places and one tradition I learned in the countryside was how Polish families let others know if their sons or daughters were ready to be wed. The girl’s family would paint their door red, and the boy’s family would make their chimney very tall. Symbolism aside, it’s a great way to find a match because you know just by looking if the other person is going to be open to the possibility.

In real estate, isn’t that what we work to do as well? Realtors do their best to introduce their Buyers to the perfect house, looking through their “books” (the internet) to find the best match – one the Buyer will fall in love with and want to make their own. Stagers do their best to make that house the perfect match for the Buyer. Let’s face it.  A house that is not Staged is like forcing Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof to marry Lazar Wolf. When we bring the perfect match to the Buyer - when that magic happens and a Buyer says, “This is the one!” we clap our hands with joy because we know we have done our part to make the perfect match! And it’s a match that will hopefully last for years and bring that Buyer much happiness.

I am a Staging Yenta©. Are you?

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If you are selling and need to make the perfect match for your house so you get the best offer in the shortest amount of time call Jennie at 303-717-7918.  She knows just want to do to bring out the best in your house.  Sensational Home Staging - www.sensationalhome.com

Home Improvements that Yield the best ROI for the Homeowner

Home Improvements that Yield the Best ROI for a Homeowner

CAUTION!  As a professional Home Stager I am often asked about improvements that can/should be made prior to listing a house for sale.  Really it boils down to the house, market and the Seller's budget.  My experience is that when a Seller understands the ROI - they will find a way to make the necessary improvements - and the key is not to overimprove and to invest whatever budget they have wisely.  My philosophy is a seller needs to do whatever they can UP FRONT prior to listing the house for sale rather than start at a lower list price and/or lose money to price reductions.  It's much easier to come from a marketing standpoint of being able to say, "New carpet" versus giving a carpet allowance and trusting that a potential buyer will be able to look past your stained and worn out blue carpet.

But home improvements don't have to be done only when you are selling - why not invest in your property while you live there - and you enjoy the changes?

What if you are not selling?  Upgrading your home is exciting and can also provide a nice return on your investment when you sell. To maximize returns, it is important to know which improvements to focus on and to not over invest in your upgrades.




Check out the list of improvements and percentage of your investment that may be recouped at resale - provided by Remodeling Magazine: Remodeling Magazine’s Remodeling 2011-12 Cost vs. Value Report (http://www.costvsvalue.com).


88-92% Garage Door Replacement
A simple, updated garage door can take years off the look of an older home.


76-81% New Windows
New windows not only give your home a “fresh face,” but they can also improve energy efficiency and buyers appreciate those changes.


75-80% Deck
Outdoor living space is a desirable asset no matter where the locale. No maintenance decking material leaves lots more leisure time too.


67-91% Remodeled Kitchen
A kitchen remodel can reward a seller with a sizable payback. Remember that splurging on fancy finishing materials or sophisticated equipment may cut into profits. Keep it simple.


68% Family Room Addition
The key to maximizing your return is to avoid over-improving and keeping the improvement in line with other homes in the neighborhood.


65-75% Remodeled Bath
A master bath is on many buyer lists, so invest here. If you own only one bath, install two sinks or a double vanity to handle the morning crowd.

61% Bathroom Addition
It takes a simple 5 x 9 foot extra bath to make mornings more civilized for most families. Don’t count on a return on extras like a heat lamp or whirlpool tub.


57-64% Expanded Master Suite
To keep costs down, try to find extra space to create this wish-list item by combining existing rooms and spaces. Heavy structural work entailed by adding square feet diminishes returns.


50% Home Office Remodel
A home office adds to comfort, convenience, and salability, but isn’t among the top projects for adding home value.


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If you live in the greater Denver area and are in need of professional Home Staging services for sale or for living, just call Jennie Norris, Sensational Home Staging.  With over 10 years of experience and 2,700+ houses Staged - she has yet to meet a house she could not help!  888-93-STAGE or 303-717-7918.  Go to http://www.SensationalHome.com to learn more about Sensational Home Staging.

15 Ways to NOT Sell Your House: Real Life Stories about Real Sellers that Really Did not Want to Sell

15 Ways to NOT Sell Your House: Real Life Stories about Real Sellers that Really Did not Want to Sell

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP – Owner, Sensational Home Staging

If your house is on the market and you do not want it to sell – here are some tips you should consider.

1. Keep all your personal stuff out in plain sight. Clutter makes buyers feel right at home and hides all the real selling features of your house. They will probably layer up their counters and floors with stuff so just let the Buyer see how the house will look when they live in it too.

REAL STORY: This was one of my clients known as Dr. Bill. He had papers strewn all over his floors, coming out of tubs, down hallways, all over the counters. It was incredible! This was a bedroom but you cannot tell by the photo.


2. With area rugs more is better! Hide the hardwood or tile floors throughout your house with area rugs – and do not worry if they do not match. Letting the buyers hop-scotch from one rug to the next is FUN!

REAL STORY: What is it with homeowners that put a million area rugs all over. If you do not want your wood floors, put in carpet! This particular seller had 38 rugs in her house – all sizes (I counted).

3. Make sure to keep oddities and strange thing out. It gives buyers something to talk about and remember your house by recalling that item. Forget all the selling features you want them to remember your collectible. Killed a moose in the wild with your son? Great – keep that up on the wall with the large eyeballs following Buyers through the house. Even better, hang the photos of your hunting expedition right under the moose head so they are sure to get the full story.

REAL STORY: This was a treasure that I found in a high-end house owned by a doctor. Proudly on display at the entrance of the house in a niche, they could not understand why buyers would not appreciate the Jack-a-phes-a-lope.

4. Do not put any of your personal artwork away. If you have ones that are nudes that’s even better. That will tell Buyers that you are free and easy and do not care about pretenses and are super comfortable with yourselves.

REAL STORY: This is a painting that hung in the formal dining room of a very high-end house. If you look closely enough you get too much of a view. The seller had listed the house and it had not sold (surprise!). The painting ended up leaving the dining room and a tasteful fruit bowl painting was put in its place.

5. Keep all your family photos out so that Buyers can really get to know who you are. Your young children that go to school down the street will be recognizable by anyone seeing your house in person and online and it is a great way for your kids to gain new adult friends!

REAL STORY: I had a client protest having to put away all her kid’s photos. She said, “They are so cute, I do not want to pack them up.” Too many family photos give buyers too much information about you, your family, your interests, your background. No one should be able to determine that much personal information about a seller.

6. Do not make your beds or clean up when Buyers are coming. They have seen dirt and unmade beds before and if this is how you live they can either like it or go to the next house.  And if your house is smelly on top of dirty, that is an added bonus!

REAL STORY: This was a client that was too busy to be bothered to make the bed. Anyone that is in the business has seen this – do they not know Buyers are coming through? Yes, I’d much rather look at your unmade, rumpled bed and clothes on the floor.

7. Do not paint any of your walls – the colors you like have to be appealing to everyone. Darker colors you painted will make your rooms feel small – which actually means, cozy, right? Darker colors are good for mood lighting – after all who wants to see all the features of a room?

REAL STORY: This client thought the purple walls were “fun” and the fact that she had accented the walls with bedding in all hues of purple made it better.

8. Wallpaper – who says you have to take it down?   You picked the pattern because you liked it so buyers should like it too. In fact, if you have put wall paper up that matches the curtains, and also matches your fabric in the room – all the better because then Buyers can REALLY appreciate the pattern and thought you put into selecting the design.

REAL STORY: These sellers could not get past the amount they had invested in the wall paper. Taking it down seemed like a crime! Notice how the striped curtains and striped chairs, area rug and wall paper all make the room spin? Where does my eye go? My eye goes “lets get out!”

9. Keep all your windows shut and blinds closed or nearly closed so that the house is nice and dark. It will take a moment for the Buyers’ eyes to adjust to the dim lighting in the house, but that will make them appreciate how private your house can be from the neighbors. They do not need to see the view from the windows – they saw it when they drove up to the house.

REAL STORY: Although the room itself is not bad from a Staging standpoint, having the blinds down, AND the curtains drawn over them is not a good selling point. Buyers immediately ask “what are you hiding?”

10. Make sure to leave out air filters, fans, water filters and water jugs – Buyers want to know if the house they are thinking of buying will make them sneeze, have water that tastes bad, or doesn’t heat and cool properly. Give them the clues up front so that they can make sure to bring their fans, heaters, filters and jugs when they move in! Extra bonus! When the buyer sees the large jug on the counter they will obviously think “Hey look at all the room!”

REAL STORY: These sellers used the jug water daily. When asked to move it for selling, they resisted saying, “If buyers cannot look past this then they can just get over it.” Then the agent, afraid of offending the seller said, “I actually think the blue of the water jug is a nice accent.” Please. If we do not tell them the truth we are not doing our job to help the house sell!

11. Do not bother cleaning up the yard or trimming your bushes and trees. They are just going to grow back so it is better to let Buyers see how they will look that way than trim them down. When they cannot see the house from the street it is more of a “surprise” when they get around the limbs and bushes and see the front door for the first time. When the trees and shrubs hide the windows of the house from the front it adds that special touch of privacy that every Buyer wants.

REAL STORY: This seller had not only the issue of “cannot sell it if you cannot see it” with the giant tree hiding his house, but the neighbors were kind enough to park all their extra vehicles all over the cul-de-sac so it looked like Auto-Row. I recommended he trim his tree and have a motivating conversation with the neighbors.

12. If you are updating your house make sure to pick styles and colors from years gone by – they are nostalgic and will help Buyers feel that connection the past. Brass fixtures really shine – and just scream 1980’s and who did not LOVE the 80’s?

13. Follow potential Buyers around your house during a showing. They do not need privacy and need to hear all the things you did over the years to personalize your house. Tell them all about your pets, your children, all the stories that will make sure to leave an impression.

14. Do not put any photos of your house online. Keep it a mystery so that the “big reveal” happens when the Buyers come in person!

15. Do not Stage your House and list your house with a Realtor® - Staging does not really matter and buyers can look past your stuff.  You can just watch a TV show and figure out what to do innately.  And Realtors - they do not do much anyway and you can just do it yourself. Marketing cannot be all that hard and the paperwork if you get an offer does not have any legal issues at all. It’s a cinch!! (please note I am being sarcastic – and value Realtors and what they do greatly!)

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For help in Staging your house so it DOES sell, please give me a call.  303-717-7918 or toll free 888-93-STAGE.  After Staging over 2,500 houses for sale since 2002, I have yet to meet a house or client I could not help.  You can find me on the web:  http://www.sensationalhome.com/

Staging Success - another great transformation!

This house had lovely features and amenities but a LOT of stuff and big pieces of furniture not arranged in a good flow cut off access to rooms, and made rooms feel smaller than they really were.

Enter ASPs who Staged this house in a matter of hours! What a difference - the Seller was amazed and we know it will help this house sell in record time!

Home Staging – Miss the Mark and Miss the Market - by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner of Sensational Home Staging

Home Staging – Miss the Mark and Miss the Market

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner of Sensational Home Staging

There is a trend I see emerging in some Staging businesses where the Staging is so extreme, so unique, so well, trendy, that it misses the mark, and more importantly misses the market. In other words, the Staging may “look really cool” but does it actually appeal to the target Buyer?


With Home Staging we have to ask ourselves, “Who is the potential Buyer for this house?” “Who am I creating this look for and is that audience going to like what I have planned for this Staging?”


Dare I say, we need to ask, “Are we more focused on the Staging or the fact that the house is Staged?”

The truth is, lately I see some that call themselves “Stagers” use some truly amazing inventory – stuff that would make any reader of a design magazine drool. But again, is the inventory and Staging of mass audience appeal or is it taking Staging down to a tiny market niche? The photos I see of some work really make me say, “Huh?” because the Staging is not broadly appealing.


Don’t get me wrong - Is it stylish? Yes. Is it fun? Yes. Is it too unique? Yes. Does it appeal to the broad base of buyers – NO. That is the telling question – and the key is that Staging is NOT Decorating or Design. Both industries serve a purpose but only one serves the goal of Selling a house and appealing to mass audience online and in person. STAGING.


What is the goal of Staging? To SELL the house. A “Home Stager” that is focused on the STUFF is not focused on the goal. I am all for creating a really great look in a house, but when the focus is on the stuff, prices charged are often too high, and the look truly does not appeal to the broad audience.


More importantly, in a market like we are in today, we cannot afford to alienate any facet of the audience of potential buyers by using furnishings that are too “out there.” Instead of selling the house, what is being sold is the “design style” of the person that installed all that “really cool stuff” in the house.


Most (and that is 99%) of Buyers cannot relate to a red piano or extremely modern art as things they would like to own. Those items have a place of use for Staging – in a very miniscule number of properties. So unless you are Staging strictly Soho lofts In NY for eclectic artisans, this type of Staging is not doing the job of appealing to the broad buyer base.


Keep our eyes on the GOAL – Sell the house, sell the house, sell the house. Can we afford to Stage for that one Buyer that likes our design aesthetic, or are we Staging for ALL Buyers so they all want to buy the house? I know it only takes one – but do you want a needle in a haystack or the whole haystack? And when time is not on the Seller’s side, it’s up to us as the professionally trained Stagers to make SURE that the house appeals to the broadest demographic.